NEW YORK: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar held a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday and discussed key bilateral matters, including tariffs, along with regional and global issues of mutual interest.
“Following up on their productive meeting last Friday in Washington D.C., they discussed key bilateral matters, including tariffs, as well as regional and global issues of mutual interest,” Pakistan’s Foreign Office stated.
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50, spoke to the U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio @SecRubio on telephone today.
Following up on their productive meeting last Friday in Washington D.C., they discussed key bilateral matters,… pic.twitter.com/HDNX275NYe
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) July 28, 2025
It may be recalled that Dar met Rubio on Friday and discussed trade, investment, counterterrorism cooperation, and the clash between India and Pakistan in May, according to officials from both countries.
The meeting — the first such engagement between the foreign ministers of the two countries in three years — is being considered a breakthrough in diplomacy between Pakistan and the US.
On the same day, the US named an acting ambassador in Islamabad.
In a post shared after the meeting, Dar said he discussed bilateral relations with Secretary Rubio.
“We reaffirmed our commitment to the long-term Pakistan-US partnership, with renewed focus on economic, trade, investment, IT/AI, and CT [counterterrorism] cooperation.”
In his post, Dar hailed the “constructive role” played by the US in reaching the ceasefire.
According to a statement issued by the Pakistan embassy in Washington, Dar said the US role “helped avert a potential nuclear confrontation and restored calm to a volatile region”.
The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to regional peace and ongoing counterterrorism cooperation.
Secretary Rubio recognised Pakistan’s “unparalleled sacrifices” in the fight against terrorism and described Islamabad as a “constructive actor” in efforts to ensure regional stability.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has left for the United States to conclude Pakistan-US trade talks.
A bilateral trade agreement between Pakistan and the United States will benefit the economies of both countries.
The United States is Pakistan’s largest trading partner, and strong trade and economic ties are an important pillar of Pak-US bilateral relations, Radio Pakistan reported.
Pakistan is keen to expand bilateral trade ties with the US to traditional and non-traditional sectors, as there are vast opportunities for partnership between the two countries in information technology, minerals, and the agriculture sectors.
